LED Lights Bring Brazilian Olympic Costumes to Life

If you’re like me, you wish the Olympics came around more often than every two years. If you’re even more like me, you find yourself dreaming of warm weather locales when the temperature dips below 75. That being said, you might understand why I’m taking a trip back in time for this post to remember the gorgeous LED costumes created by German designer Moritz Waldemeyer for this year’s Olympic closing ceremonies in London.

LED undercabinet lighting

The 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio, Brazil, and so the 2012 closing ceremonies culminated with a reminder of what’s to come: the bright, colorful aesthetic of South America’s biggest country, as well as its passion for music, dancing and, well, passion. Brazilian culture presents a welcome contrast to that of England, not that there’s anything wrong with say, the Industrial Revolution, mist-shrouded castles or James Bond.

LED undercabinet lighting

But Waldemeyer’s costumes brilliantly emphasized (not to mention illuminated, thanks to LED strip lights) some powerful cornerstones of Brazilian society: Carnival, the festival that kicks off Lent forty days before Easter, Afro-Brazilian culture and indigenous culture. Waldemeyer’s collection included 140 costumes decked out in flexible LED strip lights, which dancers and musicians wore during four different performances.

LED undercabinet lighting

Samba dancers wielded Ferris wheels illuminated with fixtures that looked almost like LED undercabinet lighting; the drummers’ instruments glowed thanks to LEDs configured in circular patterns; indigenous dancers wore green LED accent lights made to look like traditional tribal jewelry; and Maracatu performers dawned LED bulbs and hair ribbons.

LED undercabinet lighting

Waldemeyer didn’t stop there. He also wirelessly connected the costume LEDs to the stadium’s radio network, which allowed the lights to display and animate in synch with the music.

The designs succeeded in blending old traditions with contemporary technology, and in getting viewers excited for the next summer Olympics. Personally, I may not be able to wait until 2016…Carnival 2013, anyone?